Buchanan blasts U.S. military policy of ignoring child sexual abuse in Afghanistan

A New York Times story about American soldiers being instructed to ignore instances of child sexual abuse in Afghanistan - and facing discipline for acting to stop abuse - is drawing a strong response from U.S. Rep. Vern Buchanan, who said Monday that "this is one of the most disgraceful policies I have ever heard of."

“It is bad enough if we were ignoring this type of barbaric and savage behavior," Buchanan, R-Longboat Key, said in a letter to General Martin Dempsey, the chairman of the U.S. military's Joint Chiefs of Staff. "It’s even worse if we are punishing American heroes who try to stop it.”

Here is the letter:

Dear General Dempsey:

I urge you to immediately reverse the Pentagon’s shameful policy of punishing soldiers who try to stop the sexual abuse of children in Afghanistan, as reported today by the New York Times.

According to the Times, American soldiers serving our nation in the Army and Marines in Afghanistan have been told to stand down when encountering child sexual abuse perpetrated by local allies. Protecting child predators is abhorrent and inconsistent with our values as a nation. I call on you to end this shameful policy immediately.

It is bad enough if the Pentagon is telling our soldiers to ignore this type of barbaric and savage behavior, but it’s even worse if we are punishing those who try to stop it.

The only people who should be punished are the ones who created and condoned this immoral and savage code.

According to the Times, Captain Dan Quinn and Sgt. First Class Charles Martland confronted an American-backed Afghan commander “for keeping a boy chained to his bed as a sex slave.” Instead of commending Captain Quinn, the Army relieved him of his command. It is now trying to forcibly retire Sergeant Martland as well.

It is deeply troubling that our service members are instructed to ignore child sexual abuse. You must end this policy, which requires Americans to “look the other way” when horrific crimes are committed by our supposed allies.

Fighting in a foreign theater should not require our service members to turn a blind eye towards criminal perversion. Those who wear the uniform of the U.S. military should be commended, not punished, for upholding American values.

Sincerely,

/s/

Vern BuchananMember of Congress

cc: The Honorable Barack Obama, President of the United Statescc: The Honorable Ash Carter, Secretary of Defense

Last modified: September 21, 2015
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